Naturally Florida

In today’s episode we’re talking about the mysterious and massive horse conch, Florida’s state shell. We will discuss the meaning behind its common and scientific name, what it looks like, where it’s found, research on population numbers, some fascinating behaviors and benefits of this species, and of course, what each of us can do to help support our state shell, the horse conch. Learn More: VIDEO: Giant Horse Conch & Burglar Hermit Crabs (Blue Planet, BBC Earth) - https://youtu.be/P_hBp1sEwfs?si=Du1L_g7JXjSoN7n7 Shell of the Week: The Horse Conch - https://shellmuseum.org/blog/shell-of-the-week-the-horse-conch/ Sea Wonder: Horse Conch - https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/sea-wonder-horse-conch/ How You Can Help: Support your local National Marine Sanctuary - https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/ Document sightings on iNaturalist - https://www.inaturalist.org/ Visit and support the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, host of the largest horse conch in the world - https://shellmuseum.org/ Participate in beach cleanups and local restoration projects, and support organizations working to protect Florida's waterways. Sources: Age and growth of one of the world’s largest carnivorous gastropods, the Florida Horse Conch, Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840), a target of unregulated, intense harvest - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265095 Sea Wonder: Horse Conch - https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/sea-wonder-horse-conch/ Mighty, the Horse Conch - https://shellmuseum.org/blog/mighty-the-horse-conch/

In this episode, we explore the unique ecology of scrub habitat in Florida. What is a scrub? Where are they located?How are they different from similar ecosystems? How does fire play a role in scrub habitats? What threats do scrub habitats face? What can you do about it? We cover this and more in this episode of Naturally Florida. Learn More:• Florida Natural Areas Inventory: Scrub - https://www.fnai.org/PDFs/NC/Scrub_Final_2010.pdf• Topographpic map, elevation, terrain - https://en-ca.topographic-map.com/map-x1rv5k/Polk-County/• Calamintha bee (Shannon mentioned in episode) - https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/discover-nest-northern-range-blue-calamintha-bee/• Scrub and High Pine - https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/florida-land-steward/forest-resources/upland-forest-ecosystems/scrub-and-high-pine/• Common Woody Plants of Florida Scrub Ecosystems- https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FR373• Florida Scrub - https://crocdoc.ifas.ufl.edu/publications/msrpmap/floridascrub/How You Can Help:• Florida scrub is globally rare and incredibly unique, supporting plants and animals found nowhere else. Speak up and advocate for the preservation of the special natural lands. Needs some inspiration, check out the GladysE. Douglas Preserve story. • Fire is essential in scrub habitats —without it, the ecosystem collapses and species disappear. Be sure to support and advocate for prescribed fires in your area. • Scrub may look barren, but it’s a biodiversity hotspot—an ecological gem hiding in plain sight. See if you can find a scrub habitat near you to visit!Sources for this Episode: • Florida Natural Areas Inventory: Scrub - https://www.fnai.org/PDFs/NC/Scrub_Final_2010.pdf• Scrub and High Pine - https://programs.ifas.ufl.edu/florida-land-steward/forest-resources/upland-forest-ecosystems/scrub-and-high-pine/• Common Woody Plants of Florida Scrub Ecosystems- https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FR373If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here!If you're active on iNaturalist, consider joining our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: ⁠⁠https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations⁠

We just did an episode on trees two months ago, but they are such a critical part of our ecosystems, it’s hard not to talk about them. Today, we thought it would be fun to focus in on the oaks. Oaks are found throughout Florida and play a critical role providing ecosystem services and wildlife benefits. Learn More: Florida’s Oaks - https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/florida-oaks/ The Little Oaks – Part I: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/pinellasco/2019/07/11/the-little-oaks-part-i/ The Little Oaks – Part II: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/pinellasco/2019/08/12/the-little-oaks-part-ii/ Previous Episodes Referenced: Stormwater Episode: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-does-rain-go-after-it-falls/id1573268305?i=1000526291174 ⁠ Intro to Urban Forestry Episode: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trees-and-people-an-intro-to-urban-forestry/id1573268305?i=1000533017933 ⁠ How You Can Help: Take advantage of oak leaf fall by utilizing the leaves as mulch - https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/2021/03/06/fallen-oak-leaves-make-a-great-mulch/ Get your tree checked out by a certified arborist and setup a pruning plan! ⁠https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/findanarborist⁠ Consider planting an oak, but make sure you plant the right tree in the right place - https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/oak-trees/ Sources: Oak Forest Ecosystems: Ecology and Management for Wildlife - https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=tcH8EAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA182&dq=benefits+of+acorns&ots=WALVLyqyi5&sig=mhZ24zuxMYjsasR4GxUBTxpAuTA#v=onepage&q=benefits%20of%20acorns&f=false Abscission - https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/abscission

While much of the country waits until late April to celebrate Arbor Day, Florida marks the occasion several months sooner. Our subtropical climate makes it safe—and even beneficial—to plant trees during the cooler, drier winter months (with proper irrigation). By doing this now, young saplings have time to develop strong root systems beforefacing the intense heat and storms of the summer season. Perhaps you recently attended an Arbor Day event, or took home a tree to plant in your yard. This episode explores Florida Arbor Day and tips for caring for your tree. Learn more: Economic Contributions of UrbanForestry in Florida in 2017 - https://ccmedia.fdacs.gov/content/download/94000/file/FLUrbanForestry_Infographic.pdfWind and Trees: Lessons Learnedfrom Hurricanes (Mentioned by Shannon) - https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/documents/FR173.pdfHow You Can Help: Plant a tree! Watch this video tolearn how: https://youtu.be/HXdlsJ451b8?si=uy9JFBluX-HjeJCp&t=37Prune your maturing or mature trees,to ensure they are storm resistant and healthy. Go to https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarboristto find a certified tree expert to help maintain your trees.Sources for this Episode: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FR/FR17400.pdf http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr173 https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/2017/09/08/471/ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr175 http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/trees-that-can-withstand-hurricanes.html Arbor Day 2024 ‑History & Facts | HISTORY Planting andEstablishing Trees – Gardening Solutions https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here!If you're active on iNaturalist, join our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations⁠⁠

On today's episode we're talking turkey - the wild turkey, that is! Learn all about Florida's wild turkey species, their biology, and even bust a myth or two. Learn More: See a turkey swim: Youtube Video from @southernoutlawadventures5106 on youtube.com Learn everything you could ever want to know about turkeys and managing habitat for turkeys, by listening to Wild Turkey Science How You Can Help: Support prescribed fire initiatives in and around your Florida community. Plant forage species in your suburban or rural yard that support turkeys: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/7-grasses-and-forbs-you-need-on-your-property Reduce the use of broadcast insecticides in your yard and encourage your neighbors to do the same. Sources: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sumterco/2022/12/31/wildlife-invasive-species-education-wise-species-profile-wild-turkey/ https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wild_Turkey/overview https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/game-birds/wild-turkeys/

Pollinators are the unsung heroes of Florida’s ecosystems, supporting the reproduction of our flowering plants in urban, suburban and natural areas. Pollinator populations are declining, and organizations are urging people to take action to support pollinators in their areas of influence. There is a lot of buzz around the topics of pollinators these days, but who are they? What are they doing? Where do they go? Find out this and more in today’s episode. Learn More: Insect Pollinators - https://www.fnps.org/plants/pollinators Know your native pollinators - https://www.flawildflowers.org/pollinators/ Pollinator Plants: Florida - https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/2018-05/17-046_03_XercesSoc_Pollinator-Plants_Florida_web-3page.pdf Creating a Native Wildflower Garden in Your Central Florida Yard - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-a-native-wildflower-garden-in-your-central/id1724213516?i=1000648747914 How You Can Help: Support pollinators in your yard by spreading wildflower seeds and planting a variety of native plants - https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/osceola/documents/agriculture/Pollinator-Plants-for-Osceola-County-Urban-Landscapes.pdf Consider leaving a patch of bare, open ground or install a bee house/hotel for nesting - https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/how-to-manage-a-successful-bee-hotel/what-is-a-bee-hotel Create a no-mow area in your yard and leave area unmown November-May - https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/orangeco/2022/07/26/no-mow-lawns-in-florida/ Use pesticides as a last resort, learn integrated pest management - https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/pests-and-diseases/pests/management/integrated-pest-management/ Sources for this Episode: Attracting Bees and Other Beneficial Insects with Florida’s Native Wildflowers -https://www.flawildflowers.org/attracting-bees/ The Importance of Pollinators - https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden/pollinators Pollinator Syndromes - https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator.org/assets/generalFiles/Pollinator_Syndromes.pdf

Snakes play a critical role in our ecosystems, keeping rodent populations in check and supplying birds of prey with an excellent food source. But our snakes are facing a new threat, an invasive parasite, Raillietiella orientalis from Asia and Africa. This worm-like crustacean, believed to have come over with the invasive Burmese Python, is infecting the respiratory system of our native snakes. It is spreading rapidly, and ongoing research is documenting its spread and impact. Learn More: Invasive Snake Lungworm: Raillietiella orientalis - https://invasionscience.ufl.edu/media/invasionscienceufledu/images/docs/Disease_-FactSheet_Snake_Lung_Parasite.pdf Snake Lungworm Alliance and Monitoring - https://invasionscience.ufl.edu/media/invasionscienceufledu/images/docs/SLAM_Brochure.pdf Parasite spillover: indirect effects of invasive Burmese pythons - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5773325/ How You Can Help: Report sightings of dead snakes, especially if pentastomes present (coming out of snake’s mouth) on Snake Lungworm Alliance and Monitoring (SLAM) website: https://invasionscience.ufl.edu/slam/ Researchers are concerned about the possible spread of this parasite through the pet trade. Please report any sick or dying snakes purchased via the pet trade through the SLAM website. Think before you kill a snake in your yard. Snakes are critical in rodent control and a food source for our birds of prey. You can also consider providing an area of your yard for snake habitat. This would include an area where you let the grass grow tall, establish a brush pile, or stack firewood. Sources for this Episode: Invasive Snake Lungworm: Raillietiella orientalis - https://invasionscience.ufl.edu/media/invasionscienceufledu/images/docs/Disease_-FactSheet_Snake_Lung_Parasite.pdf Snake Lungworm Alliance and Monitoring - https://invasionscience.ufl.edu/media/invasionscienceufledu/images/docs/SLAM_Brochure.pdf Parasite spillover: indirect effects of invasive Burmese pythons - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5773325/ If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here! If you're active on iNaturalist, consider joining our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations